“Decidedly,” said Pugh, wondering at what was coming.
“Well, I must be as civil to him as I can, and so will you, of course.”
“Of course.”
“He’s taken a great fancy to you, by-the-way, and praises you sky-high.”
“Indeed!”
“Yes; and look here, Pugh, he has got to be tired of this hotel where he is, and wants society. I can’t ask him to my shabby place, so I want you to oblige me by playing the host.”
Pugh started as if he had been stung.
“Nothing could be better,” continued Mr Parkley, who did not notice the other’s emotion. “Ask him to come and stay at your little place. Mrs Pugh has things about her in so nice and refined a way that you can make him quite at home. You will gain his confidence, too, and we shall work better for not being on mere hard business terms.”
Dutch felt his brain begin to swim.
“I’ll come as often as I can, and we shall be making him one of us. The time will pass more pleasantly for him, and there’ll be no fear of somebody else getting hold of him to make better terms.”